Super Lap Battle Chevy Aveo - The Joke's Over

RMF was called upon to design a 1-7/8" stainless tri-Y style header to meet the needs of the Cobalt SS engine while fitting into the small Aveo 5 chassis. The main purpose was to improve airflow that was needed for this mighty mouse machine. There was also a 1-5/8" setup created for racing the smaller tracks. The smaller header will help when the revs are not as high for long periods of time. The after cat portion of the exhaust was made in 2.5 inch 321 stainless tube using V-band clamps on all ends. While most exhausts exit in the rear, Jason tricked his by making the exhaust exit from both of the rear doors.

With the motor sitting back on a stand, the crew was able to focus its attention on finishing the rollcage. Preparation was made for the rollcage by grinding down and leveling every location it would make contact with the chassis. Remember, this car is going to be a Super Lap warrior but still have a modified streetcar feel. To ensure this Aveo lives up to the design, the rollcage had to be built to help the balance and strength of the car without becoming an eyesore; Rob Miller from Sinister Race Cars was called on to lend his expertise. At first, the bars were bent as tightly to the pillars as possible and tape was used to hold their position for welding where each of the mounting points were secured to the chassis using 6x6-inch plates. Welding those plates onto the floor of the car would anchor the cage to thin factory sheet metal, so Rob came up with an idea to make a platform for the cage to connect the floor and the pillars, which is a hell of a lot stronger. Boxing that platform not only increases the strength dramatically but it also avoids bending in the event of a roll over. Prior to final welding, a fuel cell was mounted, as were three Status Racing seats. Jason positioned the driver seat in such a way so the cage could be adjusted around him, and the two other seats and cage were set back to try and center the vehicle's weight. In fact, they were set back six inches from the normal hoop area so all the steering and pedals had to be moved to match. The car is so small that most of the weight is over the front, especially with the new LSJ addition. While the whole cage is Tig-welded, the steel plates and chassis contact points are Mig-welded.

With the engine, exhaust and rollcage completed, Jason focused his attention on the suspension, braking and paint next. A custom suspension was fabricated with additional reservoirs to keep the car's handling responsive and firm. Falken Tires came in to give that extra grip for the track and the rubber was wrapped around KNIG Heatsink wheels. Jason chose these because he needed a light, strong and an open design to assist with brake cooling. KNIG provided him with two sets, one in 16x7" and the other 17x7" providing him with additional options for steering response on different tracks. The Aveo is meant to go fast but at some point it will have to stop. With so much extra power on tap, the team used Wilwood front calipers designed for a Pontiac and a rear Cobalt SS upgrade.

What car would be cool without a hot paint job? Jason has never been shy when it comes to custom paint schemes; his old CRX and K20 Civic were radically painted and we wouldn't have expected anything less with the Aveo, which he fashioned in bright Sikkens green with deep gold accents. To prep the car for paint, he removed nearly everything and masked off the engine bay to prevent overspray. With the cage exposed, it was sprayed gold along with the engine bay. Once the clear coat had been applied, the car was moved out of the paint booth and the boys went to work wet sanding and wheeling out the car before the shell went back to the shop.